Yesterday, former UFC fighter Dustin Poirier released a statement on his Instagram after bodycam footage was released from his arrest that took place on Sunday, the 21st of June.

Before his retirement last year, Poirier was a great within the UFC realm. Stepping away to work on himself was a very brave decision to make, but clearly there is still quite a way to go for the 37-year-old.

Poirier received bail following the arrest at Atlanta Airport, giving the American time to process and think about his actions, which included many expletives and threatening to fight a member of the staff.

Since his retirement from fighting, Poirier hasn’t been completely out of a job, as he was welcomed by ESPN to become one of their fight analysts and has been training other fighters at American Top Team. It is not clear yet about whether he will continue to do this or if he will completely step away from all responsibilities at this time.

Dustin Poirier’s Statement After Arrest

He wrote: “I’m at the point where I need some help.

“Walking away from fighting hasn’t been easy on me and alcohol isn’t the answer. It has ruined my father’s life and I will not allow it to ruin mine.

The statement in question, however, has faced mixed reactions due to the lack of apology that has been given to the woman he abused and the man he threatened.

It didn’t take long for the ex-fighter to release this statement with the events clearly weighing on his mind and, despite winning 30 fights throughout his career, this next fight against alcoholism will likely be the hardest of his life.

He also shared a post on his Instagram story that showed a quote from his recent interview this month with Full Send MMA. The quote said: “Some days I’m great, some days I’m not so good. If I’m not working towards something or trying to better my family, I’m a danger to myself.”

At home in Lafayette, Louisiana, Poirier has his wife, Jolie Poirier, who he has been married to since 2009, and two children. It is clear in his statement that, at the moment, his family and his mental well-being are his top priorities.

Hopefully this once beast within the cage can make a recovery soon, as it would be a shame to see a legacy like his tainted by actions driven by alcohol.

Tottenham could be given a clear route to sign a highly productive attacking midfielder thanks to former boss José Mourinho, Spurs are on a mission to overhaul their squad this summer, with Roberto De Zerbi hoping to take the North London club back to competing for European qualification.

Back-to-back bottom half finishes finally look to have sparked the Spurs chiefs into action, and it seems there will be mass investment at Hotspur Way this summer after disappointing recent recruitment campaigns.

With Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke already snapped up, Spurs now want a holding midfielder and a winger, and there will still be more business to do after those boxes are ticked off.

The Paz route clears

Spurs have been credited with an interest in Como attacking spark Nico Paz this summer, along with a host of other clubs. The 21-year-old scored 13 and provided eight assists for Como to help them to European qualification during the season just gone, and he now finds himself at the centre of a giant transfer saga.

That’s because, with interest in Paz ramping up, Real Madrid still have the option to re-sign the Argentine for just £8.6million. According to TeamTalk, and indeed reports in Spain, Mourinho is not likely to see the 2025-26 Serie A midfielder of the season in his plans, but Los Blancos are still expected to exercise the option this summer.

Los Blancos are expected to re-sign Paz, tipped to become ‘one of the best players in the world’ by Francesco Totti, for the clause stated and then try to sell him for around £51.8miillion. That would see them net a huge profit, but the news will excite other clubs, who may now have a chance to land Paz this summer.

Messi’s Paz praise

Reuters/Maria Lysaker

Paz is already a 10-time Argentina international, and he is at the World Cup with his nation this summer, albeit he will largely be a supplementary option. Back when Paz made his debut for the World Cup winners in 2024, Lionel Messi said: “We played very well between the lines, at a high level. Now Nico Paz has made his debut, and he has a lot of quality and I hope he continues to grow. He wasn’t born when I made my debut in Primera, yes, I knew (laughs).

“He has a great head, he understands the game perfectly and I hope he continues like this. He played, he enjoyed it and I think he’ll feel comfortable in this team because he likes having the ball.”

Spurs now potentially have the option to land that talent, but they would need to work out where he fits, given they have James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Xavi Simons under contract. Paz’s best position is in the number 10 role, but he can also play wide.

A World Cup nation has submitted an official complaint to FIFA following a controversial moment during the match between England and Ghana.

Both nations began their campaign with a victory, with England beating Croatia 4-2 and Ghana defeating Panama 1-0.

The Three Lions went into the match at Boston Stadium as the heavy favourites to pick up all three points and seal top spot in Group L.

However, they could not break Ghana down, with Carlos Quieroz’s side producing a defensive masterclass. Neither side found the back of the net as the spoils were shared.

Paraguay Complain to FIFA After Jude Bellingham Escapes Red Card

FIFA introduced a new law for the 2026 World Cup whereby players can be shown a red card for covering their mouth during confrontations. The measure was brought in after Gianluca Prestianni was given a six-match ban for racist language directed at Vinicius Junior during a Champions League tie between Benfica and Real Madrid in February.

During Paraguay’s 1-0 victory over Turkey earlier this week, Miguel Almiron became the first player to be shown a red card for covering his mouth during a confrontation.

The decision sparked outrage in Paraguay, with one commentator even being banned by FIFA after he unleashed an extraordinary rant.

Jude Bellingham also covered his mouth while speaking to Jordan Ayew in the match between England and Ghana. However, unlike Almiron, he was not shown a red card because the exchange was not deemed confrontational.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the apparent inconsistency has not gone down well at all in Paraguay. They claim that the Paraguayan Football Association has filed an official protest with FIFA, arguing that the new regulation is not being enforced equally across all teams.

Gianni Infantino Speaks Out After Almiron Red Card

REUTERS/Henry Romero

FIFA president Gianni Infantino spoke out after Almiron’s red card. He told SNTV, per the BBC: “This thing about covering the mouth is for us a very, very important rule.

FIFA also explained the red card in a statement, which read: “Following a VAR review in the FIFA World Cup match between Türkiye and Paraguay, Miguel Almiron was shown a red card for covering his mouth.

“Following a special meeting of The IFAB held in April, a number of amendments were introduced to be implemented at the FIFA World Cup 2026. This included a red card for any player in the tournament seen covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent.”

Almiron has been given a one-match ban for his red card, meaning he will miss their final group match against Australia. A draw should be enough for Paraguay to progress to the last 32.